Writing Samplesmore writing samples
  PARALLEL TRANSCRIPTIONS of a paragraph containing every phoneme
 The side by side comparison of alternative notations for English
. - SHAW - SPANGLISH - TRUESPEL - RITE - ENGLIK - UNIFON - INGLIZ - CHEKT - 
Click on one of the above to jump to that transcription   [longer version writing-samples.html] Unifonic transcription systems reduce character count not space requirement
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George Bernard Shaw was right, a fonetic transcription in a notation that had one symbol per sound would result in a 20% reduction in the number of characters used -- but this does not always save a corresponding amount of space. 

The reduction in space may be less than 5%. It depends on the relative size of the characters and factors such as how much white space is used in the page layout [e.g., space between lines and margins].

Spanglish, for instance, is a digraphic system and has more symbols than Unifon.  However, since Spanglish letters are mostly lower case the extra 50 symbols do not take up any more space than the mostly upper case Unifon.  Both require 6 lines of text. Spanglish is slightly less phonemic than Unifon but initially much easier to  read.

The Shaw alphabet is a unifonic script and while the characters are all essentially lower case, they are not as condensed as one might suppose. There was a 20% space reduction in the parallel transcriptions found in the book, Androcles & the Lion.  However in this publication, Shavian was not contrasted with a condensed type face such as Times Roman.  Below Lionspaw Shavian requires 8 lines compared to 7 for Arial bold.  

To write in any phonemic system often involves looking up the symbol in a sound-symbol correspondence table [such as the one shown on the right] until the correspondences are overlearned. 

Spanglish has two ways to write most vowels: stressed and unstressed. [the traditional system has 20 alternative ways to write each vowel and does not consistently mark stress].  The advantage of Spanglish as in i.t.a.  is that it simplifies the transition to the tradtional writing system. 

There is very little to unlearn since the Spanglish spellings continue as one of many orthographic options. in the traditional writing system.  To transition, one has to learn four additional spelling patterns per sound.  The spelling of <chief> remains the same but <receipt> reverses the [ie] letter order and adds a silent [p].

Unifon, as the name suggests, has one sound per symbol. It is a simpler system but the spellings look very odd to those familiar with the traditional system.  Unifon saves characters but does not save space due the high frequency of upper case letters or caps.

By my count, the traditional writing system uses 501 symbols. The phonemic notations use 400, a 20% reduction. Spanglish is in between with 459 symbols or a 10% reduction. 

Join Saundspel!  The fonollojy foram:  A discusshan gruup on raiting sisstmz, tha restoreishan av the aelphabet, foniemic noteishanz aend lettr dezain.  [rittan in Spanglish]
 Steve Bett

 
 http://victorian.fortunecity.com/vangogh/555/Spell/writing-samples.htm


Figure 2. Parallel Transcriptions of a paragraph of nonsense with 372 sounds
nonsense paragraph in using all of the sounds in English - edited by Steve Bett
English has 36 pure sounds but these sounds are represented different ways in different words
This paragraph shows that the English writing system has twice as many symbols as it needs to represent the sounds in English speech.  This in itself is not that much of a problem.  The problem is that the same symbol refers to more than 1 sound. ou and ow might be OK for out and cow if it were not for the fact that ow is also used to represent the sound in <low>. A sound that is represented by the symbol [ew] in <sew>.  This symbol [ew] also has multiple interpretations as in <few>.  Code overlaps are the problem.
Shaw's Nonsense Sentences with 372 sounds:  Should require 372 symbols not 504 letters as it does in TO
In the traditional writing system, 372 sounds require 504 symbols (letters)

Chang at leisure was superior to Lynch in his rouge, munching a lozenge at the burial in Merrion Square of Hyperion the Alien who valued his billiards so highly. Quick! quick! hear the queer story how father and son one time sat in the house man to man eating bread and telling the tale of the fir on the road to the city by the sea following the coast to its fall full two fathoms deep. There they lived together served by the carrier, whose narrower mind through beer was sore and whose poor boy shivered over the fire all day lingering in a tangle of tactless empty instinct ineptly swallowing quarts of stingo.

Chaang aet lizhur woz saperior tu Linch in his ruzh, manching a lozenzh aet tha berial in Merion Squer.
swaalowing kwaartz ov stinggo
www.iqliz.com
iGliS - CaG at lEZR woz supEriR tU linC in hiz rUZ, mNCiG u loZNZ at Du BYriL in mRiN sKR oV hIpRiN Du AliN hU ValUd hiz BilyRdz sQ hIlE. Kic! Kic! hir Du Kir storE hq foDR and sN wN tIm sat in Du hqs man tU man EtiG Bred and teliG Du tAl oV Du fR on Du rQd tU Du sitE BI Du sE folQiG Du cQst tU its fOl fvl tU faDMz dEp. Dpr DA liVd tUgeDR sRVd BI Du cariR, hUz narQR mInd TrU Bir woz sOr and hUz pvr Bb SiVRd QVR Du fIr Ol dA liGRiG in u taGL oV tactles emptE instiGct ineptlE swolQiG KOrts oV stiGQ

372sounds, 371letters  u-schwa, Q=owe, o=awe, are= , G=ng, 

qliz3 - Kaq at lizu' was supiri'r tu Link in his ruz, mnkiq ' lazenz at d' byuri'l in Mri'n Scwe' av Hapiri'n d' Alien hu valud his bily'ds so hali. Cwic! cwic! hi' d' cwi' stori ha fad' & sn 1 tam sat in d' has man tu man itiq bred & teliq d' tel av d' fi' on d' rod tu d' siti ba d' si faloiq d' cost  tu its fal ful 2 fadms dip. De' de livd t'gedr srvd ba d' cari', hus naro' mand tru bi' was so & hus pu' bo ziv'd ov' d' fa' ol de liq'iq in ' taql av tactles empti instinct ineptli swaloiq cwots av stiqo.  

Inglish2 - Chang at leezr was superier tu Lynch in his rooz, mnching a lozenz at the byuriel in Merrion Square ov Hyperion the Alien hu valewd his bilyrds so hyly. Qik! qik! hir the qir story how fothr and sn wn time sat in the hous man tu man eeting bred and telling the tale of the fr on the rode tu the sity by the see foloing the coast tu its fol ful tu fathms deep. Thair thay livd tugethr srvd by the caryer, hues naroer miend thru beer was sor and hues pur boy shivrd over the fire ol day lingring in a tangel ov tactles empty instinct ineptly swaloing qorts ov stingo.
[Truespel converter]
Chang at lezher wuz sueppeereeyer tue Linch in hiz ruezh, muncheeng u laazinj at thu baireeyool in Maireeaan Skwair uv Hiepeereeyaan thu Aeleeyin hue valyued hiz bilyerdz soe hielee. Kwik kwik heer thu kweer storee hou faather and sun wun tiem sat in thu houz man tue man eeteeng bred and teleeng thu tael uv thu fer aan thu roed tue thu sitee bie thu see faaloeweeng thu koest tue its faul fool tue fathimz deep. Thair thae livd tuggether servd bie thu kaireeyer, huez nairoewer miend thhrue beer wuz sor and huez por boi shiverd oever thu fier aul dae leengereeng in u taengool uv taktles emptee instinkt inneplee swaaloeweeng korts uv stingoe. 
372 sounds - 459 kairikterz
spanglish - click here
Spanglish   Chang at lezher waz superior tu Linch in hiz ruuzh, munnching a lozenzh aet the berial in Merion Squerr av Hyperion the Eilien hu vaelyud hiz billyards so haily. Quik! quik! hir the quier story hau faather and son /san/ wan taim saet in the hous maen tu maen ieting bread and telling the teil av the furr on the road tu the citty bai the si folowing the coast tu itz fol ful twu faethoms diep. Ther they livd tugethr servd bai the carrier, huuz narrower maind thru bir waz sor and huuz puur boy shivverd oaver the fair ol day lingering in a taengl ov tactles empty instinct ineptly swallowing quarts av stingo. 
Spanglish- 372 sounds - 459 keractrz 

Unigraf CaN at lEZR w@z supEri@r tu linC in hiz rUZ, mxnCiN @ loZ@nZ at D@ beri@l in meri@n skwer ov hYperi@n D@ Ali@n hu valUd hiz bily@rds sO hILE.  kwik kwik hir D@ kwir stori hau fqth@r and s@n w@n tIm sat in D@ haus man tu man EtiN bred and teliN D@ tAl @v Du fR on D@ rOd tu D@ sitE bY D@ SE fqlOiN D@ kOst tu its fol f@l tu fathMz dEp. Der DA livd tugeth@r sRvd bI D@ keriR, hCz nerOR mInd thru bir woz sor and huz pur boi Siv@rd ov@r D@ fIr ol dA liNg@riN in @ tangL @v takles empti instinkt ineptli swqlOiN kwqrts of stiNgO.   Unigraf Speling - one symbol per sound 
372 sounds should require 372 symbols (letters) not 504.   It does in a Unigraf transcription

UNIFON - KaN at lEZr wcz scpErior tU linK in hiz rUZ, munKiN c loZenZ at Dc bericl in mericn skwer ov hIpericn Dc Alien hu valYd hiz bilyards sO hIlE.  kwik! kwik! hir Du Kwir stori hq fothr and sun wun tYm sat in Du hqs man tu man EtiN bred and teliN Du tAl ov Du fur on Du rOd tU Du sitE bI Du SE folOiN Du kOst tu its fxl fCl tU faTcmz dEp. Der DA livd tUgeDcr scrvd bI Du kericr, hUz nerOcr mInd thrU bir wuz sOr and hUz pUr bQ Sivcrd Ovr Du fIr ol dA liNcriN in u taNgl ov takles empti instiNkt ineptli swolOiN kwqrts uv stiNgO. 
Unifon- 372 sounds 372 characters  install the unifont to view
   Unifon II   KEY: c=lazy u or schwa, V=short u, R=3 as in herder hRdcr, Y=unstressed E as in very.  N= /ng/, AEIOU = letter names, U=yu, D=/dh/ or crossed D in the, T=/th/ in thin
X=/^/ in up.  CHANGES: o=awe, Q=british short awe, lah=lq, law=lo low=lO C=ch,

CaN at lEZcr wcz scpEricr tu LinC in hiz rUZ, munCiN c LoZenZ at Dc bericl in mericn skwer cv hIpericn Dc AlEcn hu valUd hiz bilycrds sO hIlY.  kwik! kwik! hir Dc kwir story hau fqthr and scn wcn tIm sat in Dc haus man tu man EtiN bred and teliN Dc tAl ov Dc fcr on Dc rOd tu Dc sitY bI Dc SE falOiN Dc kOst tu its fol fVl tu faDcmz dEp. Der DA livd tugeDcr sRvd bI Dc keriR, huz nerOcr mInd thru bir wcz sor and huz pur boi SivRd Ovcr Dc fIr ol dA liNgcriN in a taNgL ov takles empty instiNkt ineptlE swqlOiG kwqrts cv stiNgO. 372 sounds 372 phonograms [or symbols]

I have no trouble at all reading this passage.  Reading is supposed to be aided by converting all of the capital letters into downsized shapes.  The change improves the typography.  I doubt that it has marked impact on the reading speed. [sbett@lycos.com]

Chang at leisure was superior to Lynch in his rouge, munching a lozenge at the burial in Merrion Square of Hyperion the Alien who valued his billiards so highly. Quick! quick! hear the queer story how father and son one time sat in the house man to man eating bread and telling the tale of the fir on the road to the city by the sea following the coast to its fall full two fathoms deep. There they lived together served by the carrier, whose narrower mind through beer was sore and whose poor boy shivered over the fire all day lingering in a tangle of tactless empty instinct ineptly swallowing quarts of stiNgo.  504 symbols instead of 372
Chekt Chang at lee2r woz supirior tu Linch in hiz ru2, mu'nching a' lo2en2 at x beria'l in meria'n skwer of hyperia'n x eilia'n hu valuud hiz bilyardz so hyli.  Kwik! kwik! hir x kwir stori hau fothr and sa'n wa'n tym sat in x haus man tu man eeting bred and teling x teil ov x fir on x ro'd tu x siti by x si folo'ing x co'st tu its fol fu.l tu fathomz deep. Ther thei livd tugethr s'rvd by x kari'r, huuz naro'r mynd thru bir woz sor and huuz puur boi shiv'rd ovr x fyr ol dei ling'ring in a' tangl ov tacles empti instinkt swalo'ing kwartz ov stingo'  Chkt Speling - 372 symbols  KEY: 3=ng, 2=zh, x=dh (the), o'=ou, o=aw, y=ai, ee=i: a'=shwa^
Shaw Script  cAN At lIZD waz sapIria tU linc in hiz rUZ, munciN a lAZenZ At beriul in merion skwer ov hYperion Du Alien hu valUd hiz bilyards so hYli.  kwik kwik hir Du kwir stori hV fothr and sun wun tYm sat in Du hVs man tu man EtiN bred and teliN Hu tEl ov Du fR on Du rOd tu Du siti bY Du SE falON Du kOst tu its fol fcl tu fathMz dEp. Der DA livd tugethr sRvd bY Du keriR, hCz neroR mYnd thrC bir woz sor and hCz pCr bQ Sivrd ovr Du fYr ol dA liNgDiN in u tangl ov takles empti instinkt ineptli swqlOiN kwqrts of stiNO  SYvian Download one of the Shaw alphabet fonts, e.g., lionspaw or shawscript, to view.        [7 lines]
Shaw Alfabet - cAN At lIZD waz sapIria tU linc in hiz rUZ, munciN a lAZenZ At beriul in merion skwer ov hYperion Du Alien hu valUd hiz bilyards so hYli.  kwik kwik hir Du kwir stori hV fothr and sun wun tYm sat in Du hVs man tu man EtiN bred and teliN Hu tEl ov Du fR on Du rOd tu Du siti bY Du SE falON Du kOst tu its fol fcl tu fathMz dEp. Der DA livd tugethr sRvd bY Du keriR, hCz neroR mYnd thrC bir woz sor and hCz pCr bQ Sivrd ovr Du fYr ol dA liNgDiN in u tangl ov takles empti instinkt ineptli swqlOiN kwqrts of stiNO [8 lines] install Shavian Lionspaw font to view as below:
Figure 2. Nonsense with 372 sounds:  Should require 372 symbols not 504 letters as it does in TO
The 16 missing phonograms can be associated with upper case forms or ASCII symbols
The goal is to avoid code overlaps and other inconsistencies
writing systems    2. alphabet defined
[GBS] "As well as I  can count, this sample of English contains 372 sounds, and as spelt above requires 504 letters to print it, the loss in paper, ink, wear and tear of machinery, compositors' time, machinists' time, and author's time being over  6 £ (amount did not scan), which could be saved by the use of the alphabet I ask for. The potential savings with any unigraphic phonemic writing system would be about 20%. [400 letters instead of 500]. If the new script had narrower letter forms, there would also be a corresponding  savings of space. I repeat that this figure, which means nothing to the mass of people who, when they write at all, seldom exceed one sheet of notepaper, is conclusive for reform in the case of people who are writing or typing or printing all day. Calligraphers intelligent enough to grasp its importance will, if they have read these pages, rush to their drawing boards to seize the opportunity." 
George Bernard Shaw, 1941

 
Rechid Speling  - in  Rechid Spelling - in spanglish - click here
Wen ie kanaat sae thu werdz ie see, 
Iz thu fault in them or thu fault in mee? 
Wen ie kanaat riet thu werdz ie heer 
Iz mie speleeng raung or mie eerz unklleer? 

Wen ie braek miesself uppaart tue reed 
Never speleeng due ie giv u heed, 
For iev lernd tue spel menee yeerz uggoe 
Soe ie skan thu werdz that ie need tue noe. 

Yet withh pen in hand trieyeeng az ie miet 
Wen thu leterz due naat kum out riet, 
Then ie kers thoez deeminz uv truddishin 
That maenttaen this rechid speleeng sistim.

 Wen ai canot sey thè wùrdz ai si 
Iz thè folt in them or thè folt ìn mi 
Wen ai canot rait thè wurdz ai hir 
Iz mai speling rong or mai irz unklir 

Wen ai breik maiself àpart tu riid 
Nevèr speling du ai giv a hiid 
For aiv lèrnd tu spel meny yirz ago 
So ai skæn thè wùrdz thæt ai niid tu no 

Yet with pen ìn hænd traing az ai mait 
Wen thè lettèrz du not càm aut rait, 
Then ai curs thoaz diemànz ov tradishan 
Thæt meintein thìs rechìd spelling sìsstèm 
 

when could be (huen)
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